NSERC Indigenous Student Ambassadors Grant
Posted on: Oct 3, 2019
Are you an Indigenous student who is seeking an opportunity to bring your scientific experience to the community?
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) has an open call for the NSERC Indigenous Student Ambassadors Grant. You can find all about it here. Applications can be submitted at any time.
Please, contact the Office of Research Services (research@concordia.ab.ca), Student Life (finaid@concordia.ab.ca) or the Indigenous Knowledge Research Centre (danielle.powder@concordia.ab.ca) for information.
The following details were obtained from their website.
Overview
Value Up to $5,000 Application deadline Minimum of two months before start of activity How to apply See below Application form Application form (form-fillable) For more information See below
What is the purpose of the grant?
The NSERC Indigenous Student Ambassadors (NISA) grant aims to engage Indigenous students and fellows in promoting interest and participation in the natural sciences and engineering (NSE) by visiting Canada’s Indigenous communities and schools and sharing their research and education experiences or participating in science promotion events and activities.
Are you eligible for a NISA grant?
To be eligible, you must:
- be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada;
- be an Indigenous person;*
- be registered full-time in a degree program in the NSE at an eligible institution or be employed at an eligible institution as a postdoctoral fellow in the NSE at the time your application is submitted.
* ‘Indigenous peoples’ is a collective name for the original peoples of North America and their descendants. ‘Aboriginal peoples’ is also often used as a synonym. For the purposes of this program, NSERC uses the Canadian Constitution Act, 1982 definition of Aboriginal peoples as including the Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada.
How do you apply?
To be considered for this grant, you must submit the following documents:
- a completed
application form with your signature on the final page;
- a letter of reference from your supervisor, other faculty member or senior staff at your institution, which attests to your skills and aptitudes for becoming an Indigenous Ambassador;
- a letter or email from the Indigenous community or school you plan to visit, confirming the proposed arrangements;
- a copy of documentation confirming your status as an Indigenous person.
Applications must be submitted electronically using the Secure Submissions for NSERC’s Innovative Collaborations and Science Promotion Programs. The application must be submitted in Portable Document Format (PDF) as a single document.
What expenses does this grant cover?
The grant will cover costs associated with the proposed NSE promotion activity and Indigenous community or school visit. These include costs incurred for:
- travel (air, rail, car rental, taxi, etc.);
- accommodation (hotel, etc.);
- meals;
- material and supplies needed for demonstrations or experiments;
- incidental expenses (photocopying, faxes, etc.).
Value of grant
The value of the grant will be based on the budget proposed in your application, up to a maximum of $5,000. You may hold only one NISA grant per fiscal year (April 1 to March 31).
Review procedures
NSERC will review applications using the following criteria:
- impact and reach of the proposal;
- anticipated value to Indigenous youth and the Indigenous community;
- feasibility of the proposal.
Application deadlines
There are no fixed deadlines for this grant. Applications must be made at least two months before the start of a proposed outreach activity. The grants available in a given year will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
Note: If your activity is planned for the month of March or April, please submit your application earlier than two months in advance due to a potential delay of your payment as a result of NSERC’s fiscal year-end processes.
Signatures
Before you, as an applicant, can submit your application to NSERC, you must read and agree to the terms and conditions listed in the application form. It is your responsibility to retain a copy of the agreed terms and conditions for your records.
Notification of decision
NSERC will notify you of the decision on your application within one month of receiving it.
Final report
You must provide NSERC with a final report within one month of the completion of the activities supported by the grant. Details will be provided to grantees along with the notification of decision letter. Original receipts for expenses do not need to be sent to NSERC but should be kept as NSERC reserves the right to ask for receipts at a later date.
For more information